ABSTRACT
THESIS: The Effects of Familial Bonds and Peer Group Perceptions on Religious Identification: A
Study of Interfaith Children
STUDENT: Christina Roberts
DEGREE: Master of Arts
COLLEGE: Sciences and Humanities
DATE: May 2015
PAGES: 36
The research used data from the first wave of the National Survey of Youth and Religion 2003 to
examine how children of interfaith couples navigate their own religious identity. The analyses
explored how family and peer bonds influence the religious identification of interfaith children
and how family dynamics and peer attitudes influence religious doubt. Results indicate that
parental religious attendance was a significant predictor for the religious identification of
interfaith children. Interfaith children were more likely to associate themselves with the faith of
the parent which attended services most often. The religious structure of the family was not
found to be a significant predictor of religious doubt, with both same and interfaith children
reporting similar levels. However, the quality of the parent-child relationship, parental religious
attendance, peer influence, and the gender of the child were found to be key indicators of
religious doubt.